Persistence with Anticoagulation for Atrial Fibrillation: Report from the GLORIA-AF Phase III 1-Year Follow-up

Antithrombotic Usage, Including Three-Year Outcomes With Dabigatran and Vitamin K Antagonists for Atrial Fibrillation, in Eastern Europe: A Descriptive Analysis From Phase 3 of the GLORIA-AF Registry

BACKGROUND

Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (GLORIA-AF) is a prospective registry of outcomes from patients with newly diagnosed AF at risk of stroke. In the propensity score (PS)-matched global population of phase 3 GLORIA-AF, at 3 years, dabigatran-treated patients experienced reduced risk for major bleeding, and similar risk for stroke and myocardial infarction, compared with vitamin K antagonist (VKA)-treated patients.

STUDY QUESTION

Do patients in Eastern Europe benefit from treatment with dabigatran versus VKA?

STUDY DESIGN

Descriptive analysis, without PS matching. To contextualize the Eastern Europe results of GLORIA-AF phase 3, we also descriptively analyzed the global population without PS matching. Consecutive patients with newly diagnosed AF and CHA2DS2-VASc-score ≥1 were enrolled until December 2016 in 38 countries (9 in Eastern Europe).

MEASURES AND OUTCOMES

Three-year outcomes with dabigatran and VKA.

RESULTS

In Eastern Europe, 1341 patients were eligible (6% of patients globally), and incidence rates (per 100 patient-years) for the following outcomes were numerically lower with dabigatran (N = 498) versus VKA (N = 466): major bleeding (0.26 vs. 0.90), all-cause death (2.04 vs. 3.50), and a composite of stroke, systemic embolism, myocardial infarction, life-threatening bleeding, and vascular death (1.37 vs. 1.92); stroke was comparable (0.51 vs. 0.50). All incidence rates were numerically lower in Eastern Europe versus the global population for both treatments. Chronic concomitant use of high bleeding risk medications (eg, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories) was lower in Eastern Europe (dabigatran 3.8%, VKA 9.3%) than globally (dabigatran 14.8%, VKA 20.6%) and persistence with dabigatran was higher in Eastern Europe (76%) than globally (64%).

CONCLUSIONS

Dabigatran was associated with numerically reduced major bleeding, all-cause death, and cardiovascular (CV) composite, with comparable risk of stroke versus VKA, in Eastern Europe. Limitations of this descriptive analysis include few CV events (n = 11 for stroke, in the dabigatran and VKA groups combined) and a lack of statistical analysis and PS matching, which precludes definitive conclusions; however, the CV outcomes in Eastern Europe were consistent with the beneficial impact of dabigatran versus VKA in the statistically analyzed global population with PS matching.

Non‑persistence to Oral Anticoagulation Therapy in Elderly Patients with Non‑valvular Atrial Fibrillation

PURPOSE

To investigate the reasons for elderly atrial fibrillation (AF) patients not continuing their oral anticoagulation (OAC) treatment and the factors that influence this behavior.

METHODS

Elderly AF patients (aged≥75 years) hospitalized from December 2019 to May 2022 were consecutively enrolled. Clinical, demographic, and concomitant medication data were collected. The endpoint was defined as OAC discontinuation for more than 30 days or a switch to an alternative therapy. Predictors of OAC non-persistence were investigated using a multivariable Cox regression model.

RESULTS

This study included 560 participants (51.1% men, mean age 80.9±0.2 years). During a median follow-up of 20 months, medication persistence was observed in 322 patients (57.5%). Non-persistence was found to be significantly higher with warfarin than with NOAC (48.8% vs 33.6%, p = 0.006). In the multivariate analysis, OAC non-persistence was independently predicted by a history of permanent pacemaker implantation, the use of antiplatelet drugs, employee Medicare, living with children, college degree or above, and persistent AF (HR = 1.580, 1.586, 0.604, 0.668, 0.028, 0.769, p < 0.05, respectively). Treatment discontinuation within 3 months of discharge was observed in a large number of patients (81.8%). Medication discontinuation due to bleeding was more frequently observed in patients who continued for longer than 3 months (p < 0.001), while discontinuation due to patient preference was more frequent in those with shorter durations (≤3 months) (p = 0.049). Patient preference was the second leading cause of non-persistence in patients, regardless of whether they were taking warfarin or NOAC.

CONCLUSION

OAC non-persistence remains high among elderly AF patients during long-term follow-up, with a significant proportion discontinuing shortly after discharge. This pattern of non-persistence is heavily influenced by demographic factors and patient preference. Further interventions should be developed based on the reasons and risk factors to improve persistence and initiated early in the treatment process.

Mortality on DOACs Versus on Vitamin K Antagonists in Atrial Fibrillation: Analysis of the Hungarian Health Insurance Fund Database

PURPOSE

Limited real-world data are available on the survival of patients treated with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) versus with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). In this nationwide registry, we analyzed the mortality risk of patients with nonvalvular AF taking DOACs versus VKAs, with a special attention to the early treatment period.

METHODS

The Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) database was searched to identify patients treated with VKA or DOAC as a thromboembolic prophylaxis for nonvalvular AF between 2011 and 2016. The overall and the early (0-3, 4-6, and 7-12 months) mortality risks with the 2 types of anticoagulation were compared. A total of 144,394 patients with AF treated with either a VKA (n = 129,925) or a DOAC (n = 14,469) were enrolled.

FINDINGS

A 28% improvement in 3-year survival with DOAC treatment compared with VKA treatment was shown. Mortality reduction with DOACs was consistent across different subgroups. However, younger patients (30-59 years old) initiated on DOAC therapy had the greatest RRR (53%) in mortality. Furthermore, DOAC treatment also yielded a benefit of greater magnitude (HR = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.40-0.77, P = 0.001) in the lower (0-1) CHA₂DS₂-VASc score segment and in those with fewer (0-1) bleeding risk factors (HR = 0.50, CI 0.34-0.73, P = 0.001). The RRR in mortality with DOACs was 33% within the first 3 months, and 6% in the second year.

IMPLICATIONS

Thromboembolic prophylaxis with DOACs in this study yielded significantly lower mortality compared with VKA treatment in patients with nonvalvular AF. The largest benefit was shown in the early period after treatment initiation, as well as in younger patients, those with a lower CHA₂DS₂-VASc score, and those with fewer bleeding risk factors.

Outcomes in elderly Chinese patients with atrial fibrillation and coronary artery disease. A report from the Optimal Thromboprophylaxis in Elderly Chinese Patients with Atrial Fibrillation ( ChiOTEAF ) registry

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are closely related; CAD may precede or complicate the clinical course of AF.

Objective

To evaluate the impact of CAD on clinical outcomes among elderly Chinese AF patients.

Methods

The ChiOTEAF registry is a prospective registry conducted in 44 sites from 20 provinces in China between October 2014 and December 2018. Primary outcome was the composite of all‐cause mortality/any thromboembolism (TE)/major bleeding/acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Results

The eligible cohort for this analysis included 6403 individuals (mean age 74.8 ± 10.7; 39.2% female); of these, 3058 (47.8%) had a history of CAD. On multivariate analysis, CAD was independently associated with a higher odds ratio for ACS (OR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.12–3.52) without a significant impact on other adverse outcomes. Independent variables associated with the composite outcome among CAD patients were: (i) the use of OAC (OR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.42–0.72), age (OR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.08–1.11), heart failure (OR: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.51–2.50), prior ischemic stroke (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.02–1.64), chronic kidney disease (OR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.32–2.22), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.06–1.89).

Conclusions

AF patients with CAD were at an increased risk of developing ACS but there was no significant difference in the composite outcome, all cause death, cardiovascular death, thromboembolic events or major bleeding compared to the non‐CAD group. OAC use was inversely associated with adverse events, yet their uptake was poor in the AF‐CAD population.

Oral anti-coagulant treatment patterns in atrial fibrillation patients diagnosed with cancer: A Danish nationwide cohort study

Data on the use of oral anti-coagulants (OAC) for stroke prevention in cancer patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are sparse. Nationwide cohort study of patients with AF (2012-2018) and an indication for OAC who were diagnosed with cancer at least one year later (N = 12 756). We identified treatment with OAC at cancer diagnosis and the following year and described the incidence of discontinuing or switching between warfarin and direct oral anti-coagulants (DOACs). We also described baseline characteristics associated with OAC non-persistence. One third of the cancer patients received no OAC therapy, whereas 42% received warfarin and 24% received DOAC treatment. Switching incidence between OACs was higher for those receiving warfarin treatment (8.6%) than DOAC treatment (1.7%) within one year. Treatment discontinuation was 61% for warfarin and 26% for DOAC. Females were less likely to discontinue DOAC than males (ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval: 0.66, 0.90). Increasing cancer stage was associated with discontinuation of DOAC, but not warfarin. OAC for stroke prevention in AF was used by two thirds of patients with newly diagnosed cancer. Switching between OACs and discontinuation was more common for warfarin than DOAC, and females had higher persistence with DOACs.

Patients' experiences across the trajectory of atrial fibrillation: A qualitative systematic review

Aim

This study aimed to synthesize qualitative evidence on experiences of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) during the course of diagnosis and treatment. We addressed three main questions: (a) What were the experiences of patients with AF during the course of diagnosis and treatment? (b) How did they respond to and cope with the disease? (c) What were the requirements during disease management?

Design

In this study, qualitative evidence synthesis was performed using the Thomas and Harden method.

Data Sources

Electronic databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, the China Biomedical Database, the WanFang Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and VIP, were searched. The databases were searched from inception to August 2021.

Review Methods

Two researchers independently selected studies using qualitative assessment and review instruments for quality evaluation and thematic synthesis for the data analysis.

Results

A total of 2627 studies were identified in the initial search and 15 studies were included. Five analytical themes were generated: ‘Diagnosing AF’; ‘The impact of AF on the patients’; ‘Self‐reorientation in the therapeutic process’; ‘Living with AF and QoL’; and ‘External support to facilitate coping strategies.’

Conclusions

Our findings point out unique experiences of patients across the trajectory of AF related to delayed diagnosis, feelings of nonsupport, disappointment of repeated treatment failure and multiple distress associated with unpredictable symptoms. Future research and clinical practice are expected to improve the quality of medical diagnosis and treatment, optimize administrative strategy and provide diverse health support for patients with AF.

Impact

Understanding the experiences and needs of patients with AF in the entire disease process will inform future clinical practice in AF integrated management, which would be helpful in improving the professionalism and confidence of healthcare providers. In addition, our findings have implications for improving the effectiveness of AF diagnostic and treatment services.

Patient or Public Contribution

This paper presents a review of previous studies and did not involve patients or the public.

Optimizing adherence and persistence to non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant therapy in atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with an increased risk of stroke, which can be prevented by the use of oral anticoagulation. Although non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have become the first choice for stroke prevention in the majority of patients with non-valvular AF, adherence and persistence to these medications remain suboptimal, which may translate into poor health outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Factors influencing adherence and persistence have been suggested to be patient-related, physician-related, and healthcare system-related. In this review, we discuss factors influencing patient adherence and persistence to NOACs and possible problem solving strategies, especially involving an integrated care management, aiming for the improvement in patient outcomes and treatment satisfaction.

Adherence and Persistence with Once-Daily vs Twice-Daily Direct Oral Anticoagulants Among Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: Real-World Analyses from the Netherlands, Italy and Germany

Background

Direct oral anticoagulants are available for patients with atrial fibrillation.

Objective

This study compared adherence and persistence of once-daily (QD) vs twice-daily (BID) direct oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Methods

A cohort study was conducted in three databases in the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. Patients with AF starting direct oral anticoagulants after drug approval date were included. The index date was the date of first dispensing. Study patients were restricted to those aged ≥ 18 years, ≥ 1 year database history and ≥ 1 year follow-up. Adherence to treatment was defined as the proportion of days covered ≥ 80% between the index date and the date of last dispensing of the index regimen (i.e. exposure period). The proportion of days covered was also determined during the 12-month follow-up. Persistence was defined as continuous use from index to treatment discontinuation.

Results

In the Netherlands, Italy and Germany, respectively, 6068, 32,260 and 167,445 patients were included. The mean age of the patients was 70, 77 and 74 years, and 31%, 40% and 61% were QD users, all respectively. Among QD/BID users, 93/90%, 88/86% and 77/58%, respectively were adherent during the exposure period. Persistence rates at 1 year in QD/BID users were 60/59%, 13/14% and 46/31%, respectively.

Conclusions

Adherence to treatment was high. In Germany, adherence was markedly higher in QD users compared with BID users. In Italy and the Netherlands, these differences were marginal. Persistence was low in all countries, but discontinuation was temporary. Only in Germany, persistence was markedly lower in BID users vs QD users.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40801-021-00289-w.

[Management of patients with atrial fibrillation and minor bleeding during therapy with direct oral anti-coagulants]

The recommended tactics for prevention of thromboembolic complications of atrial fibrillation (AF) is the oral anticoagulant (OAC) treatment. The drugs of choice for preventing stroke for most patients with AF, excluding some valvular defects, are direct OACs (DOACS). Regardless of the drug class, all anticoagulants, even at appropriate doses, increase the risk of bleeding. However, the development of minor bleedings is not an absolute indication for DOAC withdrawal. This review presents a tactics for management of patients with minor bleeding associated with the DOAC treatment.

Poor adherence to guideline-directed anticoagulation in elderly Chinese patients with atrial fibrillation: a report from the Optimal Thromboprophylaxis in Elderly Chinese Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (ChiOTEAF) registry

AIMS

Adherence to guideline-directed oral anticoagulation (OAC) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) improves outcomes, but limited data are available from China. We evaluated the adherence to guideline-directed anticoagulation and its impact on clinical outcomes in a high-risk cohort of elderly Chinese patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Optimal Thromboprophylaxis in Elderly Chinese Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (ChiOTEAF) registry is a prospective, multicentre study conducted from October 2014 to December 2018. Endpoints of interest were all-cause death, thromboembolic (TE) events and major bleedings in patients with a guideline-directed indication for OACs (CHA2DS2-VASc ≥1 if male or ≥2 if female). The eligible cohort consisted of 5742 patients, of whom 2567 (44.7%) patients were treated with an OAC. Seven independent predictors of OAC undertreatment were identified: age [odds ratio (OR): 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-1.05; P < 0.001], first diagnosed AF (OR: 1.71; 95%CI: 1.44-2.03; P < 0.001), chronic kidney disease (OR: 1.67; 95%CI: 1.36-2.06; P < 0.001), liver disease (OR: 1.69; 95%CI: 1.19-2.41; P = 0.003), dementia (OR: 1.67; 95%CI: 1.06-2.64; P = 0.026), prior extracranial bleeding (OR: 1.89; 95%CI: 1.35-2.64; P < 0.001), and the use of antiplatelet drug (OR: 6.97; 95%CI: 5.89-8.23; P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, OAC undertreatment was significantly associated with a higher risk all-cause death (OR: 3.79; 95%CI: 2.61-5.53; P < 0.001) and TE events (OR: 2.28; 95%CI: 1.39-3.72; P = 0.001), and a similar risk of major bleeding as compared with guideline-directed OAC therapy.

CONCLUSION

Only 44.7% of all eligible patients were prescribed OAC in accordance with guideline recommendations. The independent predictors for OAC undertreatment were age, first diagnosed AF, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, prior extracranial bleeding, and the use of the antiplatelet drugs. Guideline-adherent thromboprophylaxis was safe and may be associated with improved survival and less TE among elderly Chinese patients with AF.